Following an evaluation of partnership proposals to land a water-seeking robot on the lunar surface, NASA is instead opting to explore alternative approaches to deliver its VIPER (Volatiles Investigating Polar Explorer Rover) rover to the Moon. NASA announced Wednesday it is canceling its Lunar Volatiles Science Partnership Announcement for Partnership Proposals solicitation, which sought opportunities […]
At approximately 8:01 p.m. EST, Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander separated from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, powered on approximately 12 minutes later, and will continue its weeklong journey to the Moon. Aboard the lander is NASA science and technology as part of the agency’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative and Artemis campaign. Also launching as […]
At 7:16 p.m. EST, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched the Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander named Athena from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Aboard the mission are a suite of NASA technology and science instruments along with commercial payloads on their way to the Moon as part of the agency’s […]
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket stands ready for a 7:16 p.m. EST liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Watch now on NASA+ or the agency’s website. Aboard Falcon 9 is Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander named Athena, which is carrying NASA science and technology instruments to the Moon as part of […]
NASA science and technology is set to fly aboard Intuitive Machines’ lunar lander as part of the agency’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative and Artemis campaign. SpaceX is targeting no earlier than 7:16 p.m. EST tonight to launch the IM-2 mission from Launch Complex 39A at the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Weather […]
Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 is nearly one week away from its Moon landing on Sunday, March 2, after launching on Jan.15. In preparation for landing, Blue Ghost will complete its final lunar orbit maneuver scheduled for Monday, Feb. 24. This maneuver will insert Blue Ghost into a near-circular low lunar orbit, bringing the lander …
After about a month in transit to the Moon, Firefly’s Blue Ghost lunar lander successfully completed a four-minute lunar orbit insertion burn Thursday – the longest and most challenging burn conducted to date by the lander’s main engine and reaction control system thrusters. Now that the lander is in lunar trajectory, over the next 16 …
After a successful Trans Lunar Injection burn on Saturday, Feb. 8, Firefly’s spacecraft carrying NASA science and tech to the Moon has departed Earth’s orbit and begun its four-day transit to the Moon’s orbit. Blue Ghost will then spend approximately 16 days in lunar orbit before beginning its descent operations. Since launching more than three …
Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 reached day 15 of its 45-day transit to the Moon. The Stereo Cameras for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) 1.1 instrument, designed by researchers at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to capture images during the spacecraft’s lunar descent and touchdown, successfully received high-resolution test images from all six of …
NASA’s science and technology instruments aboard Firefly’s Blue Ghost Mission 1 are a step closer to the Moon. After almost two weeks in Earth orbit, Firefly announced Thursday that Blue Ghost successfully completed its second engine burn, placing the lander in the correct position to leave Earth’s orbit and continue its journey to the …
